"You've got to do something about Hilbert. He can't just leave us behind like this." The professor sat slumped in her slightly spinning office chair and held a pen in her hand, looking down. She stared heavily at the paperwork in front of her and tried to concentrate on anything but betrayal.
"He's my brother," Hilda whined from the doorway, torn. She ran a hand roughly through her strained brown hair and walked closer to Professor Juniper, who refused to turn her chair and look at the girl.
"I know," she whispered, "But please. You're the only one who can convince him not to join Team Plasma. And Hilda, he's important to me too. It's a disgrace for him to leave now! He was our friend for so long; he can't just take off when he stops needing our help." Her voice broke.
"Aurea…" Hilda turned the chair manually to find the professor holding her head and shaking. "Baby, I know it hurts you, but it won't last. You'll get over it, right?" She kneeled and took the woman's hands in her own, revealing her glassy eyes, into which she looked faithfully. "I just can't do that to my own brother; ruin his dreams like that. Even if they're not… what you think is ideal, exactly. And anyway…" She trailed off and the professor's eyes widened.
"What are you saying?"
Hilda covered her mouth and looked away. "Aurea, I can't leave him alone, either. You know I don't trust N. I have to go with him."
"No—No, Hilda, you don't! You can stay! Please, just stay here with me. Don't take away the only thing I have to live for."
She didn't blink back her own tears; she wanted her to see how much she regretted this. "What is it? Sneaking around, hiding from your father, my friends, from society? We don't have a real relationship!" Aurea pulled her hand from Hilda's and laid her forehead on it. "You know I love you, but he's family. I can't let him go. Please, don't hate me. I have to do this."
"Please… No."
"Honey, maybe if I come back, we can do this for real; we can have the happy family, the white picket fence, people could accept us! But for that to happen, I have to leave. There's just too much of an age difference, and too much controversy with orientation. I have to give everyone time to adjust, and I have to help my brother."
Professor Juniper just shook her head. Hilda stood.
"I'm so sorry, Aurea," she whispered. "I have to. I love you, but I have to go." She bent down and kissed the her hair, which she noticed, after, was shaking.
She walked to the doorway and looked back. "I still love you," she whispered, barely audible, and turned out the door.